# US 10,766,696 B2 · Scale based load limiting for refuse vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,696 B2 - Document ID: US10766696B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/229,013 - Filed: 2018-12-21 - Published: 2019-07-18 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2010-07-29 - Assignees: The Heil Co. - Applicants: The Heil Co. - Inventors: Ralph Waldo Whitfield, Jr.; Herman Edward Kelwaski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766696B2 ## CPC - B65F 3/02: with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto (conveyor construction B65G; loaders separate from vehicles B66F; fluid power control systems in general F15B) - B65F 3/00: Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse (vehicles in general B60; driving vehicle equipment or auxiliaries B60K; discharging contents by tilting entire vehicles B65G; wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10) - B65F 2003/022: {the discharging means comprising a device for determining the weight of the content of refuse receptacles} - B65F: GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE (disinfecting refuse A61L; refuse disintegrators B02C; sorting refuse B03B; B07B; handcarts for transporting refuse receptacles B62B; sack holders B65B67/00; converting refuse into fertilisers C05F; converting refuse into solid fuels C10L; sewers, cesspools E03F; arrangements in buildings for the disposal of refuse E04F17/10; refuse-consuming furnaces F23G; {for surgical articles A61B50/36}) ## Abstract A weight based load limiting system for a refuse vehicle. The system includes a weight determination module that generates a signal that varies in accordance with a vehicle weight. If the vehicle weight approaches or exceeds a predetermined maximum weight, the signal inhibits a portion of the loading or packing operation to prevent overloading the vehicle. In various configurations, the inhibiting can be to prevent a lifting of a refuse container to prevent emptying the container into the vehicle hopper. In other various configurations, the inhibiting occurs by maintaining engine power to less than the engine power typically output during a packing operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refuse vehicle, comprising: a container coupled to a chassis of the refuse vehicle; a lift coupled to the container, the lift comprising an arm assembly configured to engage a refuse receptacle; and a control system configured to: initiate a dump motion of the lift to dump refuse from the receptacle into the container; determine a weight corresponding to the refuse in the receptacle; determine a weight corresponding to the container; and in response to determining that the weight corresponding to the refuse in the receptacle together with the weight corresponding to the container exceeds a threshold value: inhibit the dump motion of the lift beyond a predetermined position; and enable reversal of the dump motion from the predetermined position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refuse vehicle of claim 1, wherein refuse vehicle defines a forward direction of travel, and wherein the container resides on the chassis of the refuse vehicle behind an operator cab of the refuse vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refuse vehicle of claim 2, wherein the arm assembly comprises a front-loading arm assembly extending from behind the operator cab to in front of the operator cab. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refuse vehicle of claim 3, wherein the front-loading arm comprises a fork mechanism. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The refuse vehicle of claim 2, wherein the arm assembly comprises a side-loading arm assembly residing behind the operator cab. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The refuse vehicle of claim 5, wherein the side-loading arm assembly comprises a gripper for engaging the refuse receptacle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The refuse vehicle of claim 6, wherein the lift comprises at least one of a solenoid-controlled air valve, an electric circuit, or a pneumatic circuit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The refuse vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a weight determination system, and wherein the control system is configured to determine the weight of the refuse in the receptacle based on output from the weight determination system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The refuse vehicle of claim 8, wherein the weight determination system comprises at least one of a weight sensor or a scale. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The refuse vehicle of claim 8, wherein the threshold value corresponds to a maximum vehicle payload. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The refuse vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a lift lockout configured to receive a signal from the control system and responsively prevent upward motion of the lift without inhibiting downward motion of the lift. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The refuse vehicle of claim 11, wherein the lift lockout comprises an interlock including at least one of a solenoid or a pneumatic device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The refuse vehicle of claim 11, wherein the signal comprises a lift signal, and wherein the lift lockout is configured to prevent the arm assembly of the lift from receiving the lift signal.